Forever Yours
by onewing
Summary: The war is over, the Saints have lost. Hyoga has sold his soul to Hades, or has he? AU for the Hades Chapter. Yaoi, HadesHyoga, HyogaShun.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Saint Seiya belongs to Masami Kurumada, I'm only borrowing his toys for a bit. ;)

Notes: This is a massive AU, and contains spoilers if you know nothing about the Hades chapter, manga or anime. Its a bit sexual at the start, but nothing graphic, nothing mentioned. Main pairings will be Hades/Hyoga, and Hyoga/Shun, so it is yaoi. There may be other pairings later.

Hope you all enjoy it. :)

* * *

Forever Yours 

Hyoga gently, ever so gently, undid the buttons on his deity's shirt, slowly exposing the pale skin beneath. He longed to taste that flesh, to run his tongue and lips over it, but he restrained himself. Only if the other said so, only if he was given permission.

The last button came undone, and the almost silk like material slide slowly, sensually, down white shoulders, to pool at the elbows. He silently slipped off the shirt the rest of the way, handling the other as if he were touching the most delicate of glass. The shirt was folded, and set aside, before his gaze flickered up to empty, but watchful pools of lightless gray green .

There was the slightest nod, and he reached for the clasps of the pants. Unfastening them, he gently tugged them off, leaving the body before him bare. And beautiful. So very very beautiful, He looked up again, to see those haunting eyes on him. A brief, almost smile came to those pale lips, the only allowance he would receive. He moved forward, and his hands touched upon the soft flesh of his deity's chest.

The skin was cold, as if death had come to the body, but he knew better. This icy feel was only right for the god of the dead, warmth was foreign here. Yet, faintly, faintly, something stirred in him. A whisper that warmth had been there once, that the skin under his fingertips had been alive, and should be flushed in delicate shyness and pleasure, instead of dead white...

Fingertips touched his cheek, and the whispers stopped. The almost formed picture of an innocent, bright aqua eyed boy faded away. Washed away by his lord's rare touch, as he looked up to those ever watchful orbs. Thick hair brushed his face, blood red, not living green, as his master leaned down a little. Cold lips, lacking passion, lust or love, covered his, kissing him. The image and the memory of it disappeared.

No warmth, there had never been warmth, only cold, the ice of death embodied in flesh. His own soul was made of that cold, for he was his lord's Ice Saint. Only the deity's, he was owned by him, body, mind, and soul. Had always been, would always be.

The god drew back, withdrawing his touch as Hyoga leaned forward once more, long stilled hands moving, stroking, messaging flesh, as his lips joined in the caresses. Yet... Somewhere there was a taste of ashes, instead of nothing this time, and he wondered at the faint ache in his heart.

* * *

"Hyoga?" brilliant, sea green eyes stared into his, while flushed, kiss bruised lips raised in a sleepy smile. 

Running his hand through the other's deep green hair, Hyoga leaned up to kiss the other, who was laying on top of him, "What, Shun?" he asked softly when he pulled away.

"Will you love me forever?" he wasn't shocked by the question. Shun usually asked it after intense battles, when he was still so uneasy about the fact he had hurt others, even in self defense. It had only been a little while since Poseidon, and Asgard. They were still healing, but had needed each other so desperately, that they had ignored their injuries. They only had, and still did, only know each other's warmth, and security.

"Of course, Shun. I've loved you for almost as long as I've known you. I love you now, and nothing will change in the future. I'll love only you for the rest of my life," he said, caressing Shun's pale cheek.

"What if something happens to me like to Julian?" the smile had died, leaving only a serious line now.

Hyoga paused, not expecting that question, "You mean like being possessed?"

Shun nodded, and Hyoga continued, going along with it, "I would find a way to free you."

Shun's eyes were growing grave, "And if you couldn't?"

"Why wouldn't I be able to? We managed to save Julian, and neither I nor our friends would ever give up on you," this turn stirred something in Hyoga, something that twisted a little at the look that was sparking in his lover's eyes.

"I know," the other sighed, laying his head on his chest now, "But still, if you couldn't, would you kill me?"

Tensing, Hyoga's arms tightened around the smaller Saint, protectively, "Why are you asking this, Shun?"

There was silence for a while, and in that silence, a fear sprouted in him, one he couldn't explain. Finally, Shun spoke, "It just occurred to me, if it could happen to an innocent like Julian, it could happen to any one of us. Please, Hyoga, answer me. Would you if you couldn't save me?"

The thought hurt to even consider it. He loved Shun, desperately. Living without him, even though it was a constant threat in their lives as Saints, was something he didn't know he could survive. He had lost too much. To lose the one he loved most in the world...

But then, to imagine his loving and gentle Shun imprisoned within his own body by a god that might use it to destroy all they fought to protect... To imagine his beloved suffering, crying in the dark recesses of himself while that god slaughtered all he cared for...

Hyoga would never allow it. Even if it did end up killing him as well, he could never let that happen. Freeing Shun would be better then having him near, but lost.

"I would, Shun. I promise, if such a thing were ever to happen, I would be sure to free you," it struck something in him, but he said it, for his lover's sake, for his own.

There was a whisper lightkiss placed on his throat, "Thank you. Hopefully, that will never happen."

"It won't, Shun," Hyoga stated, nuzzling his face into those deep green locks, "You're too strong. It won't happen."

* * *

Night. He was in his lord's bed, staring out into the forever dark world of the dead. His deity lay with his back to him, sleeping, or whatever it was gods did. Just as he should be doing the same, instead lying awake after a dream. 

A dream he couldn't truly remember. Faintly, the image that had haunted him before, of gentle aqua eyes, and the echo of warm touches, came to him.

Staring at his lord's pale back, deathly white in the faint glow that emitted from the window, he couldn't help but feel this was wrong. Somehow, someway, being here, with him, was wrong.

Yet, he loved his god, had always loved him. Hades was everything to him, was all of him. Even though he knew the other could not feel such for him, he had at least gifted him with sharing his bed, and his body. Hyoga didn't know why his lord allowed it, as it seemed the other never gained pleasure or pain from their love making, but he was honored that he alone was allowed. Not even Pandora could come this close to Hades.

He didn't remember how this had started, only that it had seemed to stretch on from before time, and would continue long after the world died.. Memories were not important. Only his duty to Hades, only his love for Hades was.

And yet, the whispers grew, treacherous in that they spoke that Hades was not the name buried deep in his heart, the name he had forgotten in all but dreams. And it was not those lifeless gray green eyes that haunted him, but another's, no matter how he fought against it.

He could feel his lord's gaze on him, and his eyes focused upon those orbs, ever watchful. Slender fingers touched his cheek, gentle as Hades was not known to be.

"Hyoga? What is the matter?" soft, but powerful, he could never deny that voice.

Yet, what had troubled him? Again, what little he had gained, faded, as the feelings stilled under his beloved lord's touch. Nothing was wrong, his god was all there was. Why was he still awake and worrying his master?

"Nothing, my lord. I was merely watching as you slept," he wanted to kiss him, but dared not.

A faint smile tilted those lips, "Indeed. Go to sleep, my Ice Saint. We have things to do tomorrow."

He nodded a little, his will not his own as his eyes closed while those fingers withdrew. Everything was fine, his lord was right. What had he to worry about, except following his god's orders?


	2. Chapter 2

Notes: Thanks to Lilithakaducky, Cat in the web, Lapse - Raevn, luvyuyu, CattyNebula, Rosemarykiss, Mischeivious Skyla, and Elis Shadow for your wonderful comments. Elis Shadow, I'll contact you in a little while to give you my answer.

Sorry it's taken a very long time to update this fic. I personally was tempted to leave it as it was, but was struck with the thought to keep going. Hopefully it won't be as long before the next time.

* * *

The walls echoed hollowly with every step as Hades made his way down the long corridor, alone for once. Grayish green eyes pierced through the murky darkness as he continued down, deeper still into the pits of his own temple, till he arrived at a little used section of it. 

There, chained tight to the cold, unfeeling stone, was the one he had come to see. The Saint looked weaker then the last time he had seen him, and thinner. He was obviously without strength, both from the life draining cuffs upon him, and the curse that Hades had placed.

Yet, where the body lacked, the eyes still held strong, burning with the fire that made the man the Phoenix he was. The god stared into those eyes, that refused to give into the fate that was surely upon him.

So foolish, but the lord of the underworld could appreciate such stubbornness, and such loyalty. It was merely a pity he couldn't turn it to him, rather then to the frail little soul he had consumed, and the imprisoned goddess.

It was no matter. Phoenix was no threat, even though it was a loss.

"How are you this day, Phoenix?" he drawled, standing in front of the other, so close, yet so far beyond the other's reach.

Blue eyes looked at him in turn, pierced him with a hatred that could not be quenched, "I'm alive."

Really, it was the only answer a dying Saint could give, even Hades had to admit that. It wouldn't be much longer, he knew.

"For a while longer. I admit, you've held out longer then any of your fellow Saints. Quite an accomplishment," dead green eyes almost seemed to smile, but there was no emotion behind them.

"I intend to hold out till I can find some way to destroy you. You won't get away with what you've done," it's an empty promise, they both knew that.

"You've lost your chance, and I fear your brother is no longer around to give you aid," there was no triumphant in those words.

"You say, yet your hair remains red and your eyes greenish gray. Athena showed me what you look like, Hades, and those are not your true traits," that was something new from those rebellious lips.

Hades scoffed, "Gods can choose how they look, unlike you mortals. Perhaps I'm paying tribute to the only soul that has ever defied my rightful possession of them. Your brother was strong, Phoenix, and his power fuels my own to greater heights, if that were possible, but he no longer exists. He has surrendered quietly, as all the others but you have."

"As Hyoga did?" bitter words, from a betrayed heart, Hades relished in the tone.

"Andromeda died when Cygnus sold his soul. I suppose you truly have the Ice Saint to thank for all that has come to be. Just like you, his love failed all that he was sent to save. Do you hate him?" the god mused.

The chains rattled, as Phoenix weakly moved, for what reason, Hades knew not, or cared to know, "I don't."

The answer surprised him, though he didn't question it, knowing the other would speak. He had thought it to be obvious, that the betrayer should be hated as well.

"I know why. As you said, I made the same mistake. I'm not going to hate him, despite what has come..." Phoenix grit his teeth, "I only hate you, for deceiving him, among everything else."

Hades blinked in what might have been curiosity, if he had such, "What do you mean? I gave him as he desired, eternity at his lover's side."

"He wanted Shun freed, in one way or another," they both understood what he meant. To death.

But Hades couldn't allow that. Even though Andromeda had died, his soul still existed, to keep his body well. The god couldn't merely destroy the soul that was there before him, without destroying vessel. The personality however, was of little consequence.

"He merely stated he wished to be at his beloved's side, that day, and that he could not fight the body that had been his. I gave him as he wished, and he regrets it not," dismissive, Hades had no regrets.

"Because he remembers none of it," the words were almost growled, if Phoenix had the strength.

"It's best that way," not truly reassurance, but Hades knew it was. Cygnus could not live with himself, if he ever remembered, and the god was reluctant to give him up, for reasons he could not explain to himself.

Even though it seemed that those memories were stubbornly rising again, something he did not relish in. Yet, it was a problem he could deal with as long as he had control.

The blue haired Saint almost seemed to read his mind, "He will remember. He loves my brother, and that love will ensure it, no matter how many times you seal those memories away."

Hades laughed, soft, low, without emotion, "That love caused his fall. Unlike yourself, his cannot resurrect the dead. Especially a dead soul. You had best lose what little hope you have left, Phoenix, for it is doing you no good, chained and dying as you are."

"It is keeping me alive," for a moment, those scorching blue eyes raised to meet his own once more, "The hope that Hyoga will come to his senses, or that my brother will break your hold again, keeps me defying you. And I'll hold onto that hope, till the end of time if I have to. The Phoenix can be as immortal as the gods, or so legends say."

"So they do," the god said finally, drawing a bit away, "But I doubt you will last that long, Ikki." a cold smile, "Because such hope is truly in vain, and you will see that in time," it was a promise, before Hades turned, and returned the way he had come.

Arriving at the end of the long hall, he came upon large, stone carved doors. Opening them at a touch of his power, he stepped through, to find the death white form of his Ice Saint, waiting patiently for him. Nodding in satisfaction for his servant's patience, he closed the doors the same way as he had opened them, sealing away Phoenix once more.

But not his words, which touched the back of Hades's thoughts, echoing his own, that his hold might not be strong enough. One look in those cold blue eyes, though, assured him else wise. Cygnus was his, just as Andromeda had become his. Nothing would change that.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks to Fire-Chan9490 and Lilithakaducky for your comments.

* * *

He could hear them calling him.

Distant calls, echoing across the darkness. Barely loud enough to be heard.

Yet, he did hear them, as he walked the dreamless tunnels of his mind.

He didn't know the names behind those voices, didn't know the faces, couldn't see them.

Yet the place around him was bitterly cold, so much so that it bit through his icy cosmos, seeping deep past his skin to where it almost seemed to freeze his heart.

The calls were getting softer, just repetitions of his name, over and over. It was easier to ignore them, to ignore all of it, even though he inwardly ached for reasons he didn't understand.

"Running away, Hyoga?"

That voice was different from the others. Clear, with a simple question attached to his name. It made him stop in his endless track, but not turn around. For some reason, he didn't want to face that voice.

It wasn't fear...

"That's just like you. Always trying to deny what you've done. What have you done this time?"

Yet, it might as well have been, for how intense that pain flared through him, as ghost fingers touched his shoulders. Warm breath pierced the cold at his neck.

"You killed someone else. First your mother, our Masters, you remember them right, Camus, Crystal. Of course myself, and your friends... And now your heart. Can you not keep anyone near without slaying them?"

That pain was growing, ripping at him from the inside, and he knew not why. Faintly, he trembled.

"Of course not, so you run away. Turn and face me, if you think you can."

He found himself mute, with anger, with something more, as he refused that taunt.

Where was his Lord?

"Shouldn't it be your goddess? You swore to serve her alone, all your days," those fingers became more real, pressing harder down, on what felt like his bare shoulders, where he was sure he was wearing his cloth before.

"You don't deserve to be Cygnus any longer. You've run from everything, allowed him to steal everything," snapping anger then, hard and vicious, "Curse you, face me!" another moment, and he was forced around, to stare into one hard, forest green eye, the other scared over, that his heart and mind knew, and wept even though he could not remember.

The other, a green haired youth, was wearing his armor, which was white, and not the cold black that it had been on him. Something whispered that that was its true form...

"You're pathetic, to let Hades trap you. He lied, Hyoga, can't you see? How could you betray us, betray my memory?"

He wanted to ask who he was, how he could dare say such a thing. His Lord would never lie to him...

His fist reached out, to smash into that face, before he could think.

How dare anyone say his Lord had lied.

_Hyoga_.

Just as he watched the other crash to the ground, he felt that call surround his being, draw him up from the nightmare into familiar darkness.

And into opening his eyes to look into gray green orbs.

"Shun..." it slipped past his lips without a thought.

That hadn't been the name of the man who had tried to reach him. No, that had been... Isaac...Isaac, who he had...

Painful fingers touched his temples as he felt his god's power shoot through him, burning through his mind with icy agony, stealing breath, and what he felt was his very soul away. It hurt too much to even scream, though his trembling mouth opened.

Only for death like lips to seal over them, hungrily taking them as Hades never had.

The pain was growing worse, more intense, breaking him from the inside. Something was being ripped away by its very roots, and he tried to protest. Only to be voiceless, as that mouth stole his air, and those hands poured more agony into him.

He was dying, he was sure, and he knew not what he had done.

He could no longer remember the names he had called.

And the taste of ash was once more in his mouth.

Darkness descended after that.

* * *

"I do not know why you keep him, my Lord," Hades didn't look up to the voice, he knew they were both there, standing at the foot of his bed, looking intently upon him. 

"It is not your place to question me," one slight hand moved aside red hair so dark it was nearly black from his eyes. It had begun changing again, as if signaling the end of whatever had been left of Andromeda.

"And we do not. We fear for your safety," the twin of the first voice said.

He glared up to them both.

"I can handle a single Saint as much as I handled them all, and Athena," Hades brushed off, rising from his bed finally, leaving the lifeless figure laying still, stretched and pale upon his black sheets.

"Of course, dear Lord," Hypnos assured, "Yet, he is dreaming again. Your seal from before..."

"Was failing. I know. I have just put a stronger one in place, so it is no longer an issue," his eyes dared them to challenge his thoughts.

The second twin, Thanatos, took it up, "My Lord, perhaps it best to send him along. You may not see him as a threat, but he isn't necessary any longer. You have control of all of Athena's domain. Only he and Phoenix remain."

"And Pegasus," one could not forget, his most dangerous enemy.

"Pegasus is sealed with Athena. There is no escape for him, as long as we stand guard," it was a promise from the god of death.

"He still exists none the less, even without a body. Phoenix and Cygnus are not threats. Phoenix is contained, and Cygnus is mine," he didn't care for the spark of emotion that set in him. Hades was without emotions, had always been so.

"Of course. But what use is such a possession? Pandora is a fine tool, and a finer slave. Cygnus is little worth to you, compared to her, or any specter you wish to have near you," Hypnos reasoned.

"I gave a promise when he sold me his soul. I am not one to keep light any promise." Hades was after all, a god with honor.

"Yet, Andromeda is dead, and soon any vestige of him will be absorbed into you," Thanatos pointed out.

"When that happens," Hades glanced to the motionless figure on the bed, dark eyes considering, "I will tire of him, and deal with him accordingly. The promise will no longer hold, when there is nothing left of what he sold himself for."


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks to Fire-Chan9490 for your comments.

And this is just a brief piece this time. Starting to set things up and this is the post to start it. Do promise a longer piece next time.

* * *

"You're going to lose," she was as she had always been, though this time, her soul reflected her reincarnated form.

Hades was unimpressed, siting upon the throne, watching her from across the room, watching as she weakly struggled against her own chains, that bound her so painfully tight. The ground beneath her was soaked with her blood, her ripped clothes stained with crimson. All from wounds he had put upon her, to weaken her, to make her disappear.

"And why would you say that, dear Shun?" he was going to address her by her current name. She had been Andromeda once, but that had been hundreds upon hundreds of years ago.

The Saint struggled a bit more, before finally resting against the wall at his back, "You have all the times before."

"I've locked Pegasus away," that one had had another name once too, but Hades was loathed to say it, just like he was all the others. It was safer to refer to them by their stars.

"It won't be him this time," those impossibly deep sea green eyes pierced him.

"If you mean your beloved Cygnus, I fear him worthless, and soon to meet his end, as you are fading away," cold, his words didn't have the effect that he had hoped for.

She...he didn't cry, scream denial, flinch. Merely looked at him with those eyes, and he felt truly cursed for a moment.

"He will rise again. I have faith he will carry out his promise," so much hope, so much knowledge.

He had always hated that about her.

"And what makes you so sure? Though, I think I can guess in part what it is..." he stood, and approached. Standing in front of the Saint, he met those eyes, looked deep into them, then struck that beautiful face, creating yet another gash across his cheek, opening the older ones as well.

No matter the form she took, no matter the abuse he gave, she was always breathtaking...

"You're the reason those dreams have started," it's almost a snarl, as he seized that delicate neck.

The other gasped, struggling for the air the god was depriving him of, barely able to force the word out, "Yes."

"Do you truly want me to kill him so soon? I kept him out of your remaining attachments, I see that now. I would have no problem crushing him as I do you now," it was a snarl, vicious as he tightened his hold.

Shun gagged, color starting to flee his face as Hades' iron grip pressed a little more in, "He'd beg for it, if I asked him to. He'd whimper and cry to be killed by me with just a look. Destroyed, so slowly, by the same hands that had loved him once."

Blue was tinting those lips. He loved that pained look, that color, the knowledge that just one more squeeze...

Hades let go, right before he knew the other would pass out. Strained breaths met his ears, as he watched him gasp and gage, trying to recover his air.

"You won't win," it was the first struggled words from those lips.

"We've had that discussion," bored, he turned away, "You're dying, Shun. A bit longer, and your soul will be gone. I'll win finally, after all this time, and there's nothing you can do about it this time. So why don't you shut up, and sleep untill you fade away?"

"Hades," the way he said his name, brought his gaze back to him, "I won't die quietly."

A slight smirk, "You never have."

* * *

Gray eyes opened to what might have been the 'dawn' of the Underworld. Laying there for a long moment, Hades considered the conversation he just had with the captive soul within. At least now, he knew who had been causing the problems, and how to fix it.

Glancing across the way, he watched as Cygnus breathed, undisturbed for once. Perfectly his, had been his throughout the night.

Would be his till his death.

This time, he wouldn't fail to win the game.


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks to Lilithakaducky for your excellent comments. :) I hope to live up to them. :)

Getting into the thicker stuff now. Pretty much most of what happened after Shun was possessed has been changed, so please note that while reading.

* * *

The cold was biting, bitter, painful. The soul ignored it, couldn't let it get to him. He was after all a dead man, dead men didn't feel. 

Perhaps it was some lingering notion, some denial that he wasn't dead. That denial had carried him through before, had forced him into life again enough times, had kept him clinging to this world by so very thin threads.

No longer.

Hades's fist had crushed his heart, while he had watched their world crumble.

Shun's hands had always been so delicate, so gentle. The hands of a healer, a friend, a comforter.

Service to Athena had forced him to fight, and in some instances, kill. Hades had stained those hands with not the blood of enemies, but of friends.

He couldn't forget looking into those graying eyes, and watching as the light died while he had struggled to breath, to live just long enough to return the favor.

Only to fail, when Hades had tossed him aside, broken, useless, while Seiya's cry of rage had echoed through him, through that very hole in his chest.

He didn't know how he knew what happened after his own demise. He assumed that since this was the land of the dead, his soul had no other place to go but to stand there, watching the events unfold.

Watch as Seiya had fallen, not dead, but nearly so, bleeding everywhere, armor shattered, limbs twisted. It was a miracle he had survived, or merely just because he was Seiya, who had never surrendered to death, or perhaps it was just Hades's sadistic punishment. He didn't know, only knew that two dark, imposing souls had come, and had stolen him away. He didn't know where, though some part in him, the part so attentive to his Goddess, told him that Seiya was with her.

Ikki had fallen somewhere in there. He had been the first to arrive, the second to last to fall. Love had stopped his fist in one brutal second, and it had betrayed him, crushed him to the ground, nearly dead as well, if not truly so.

It was always so hard to tell with Ikki, he never truly died. It was more like he vanished for a little while from the world, and returned again.

Hyoga had been last.

He could remember him staggering, gasping, crimson flowing like rivers from so many wounds. He had thought he had perished before. He had been the first to attack when they three had arrived, had mindlessly charged forward, so different then his normal self.

As if the sight of Shun enslaved had driven all rationality from him.

Hades had fended him off without a care, thrown him aside with a bone breaking shove of power, sent him through columns, buried him practically into a wall. He hadn't moved for so long after that... not until they were all down.

Hyoga had moved so slowly, dragging a foot, swaying, nearly falling. He did fall, once, twice, while Hades had watched him with such amused eyes.

But he finally made it in front of him, and he had stood there, for a long moment, staring up at him with such unreadable eyes.

And then the world had truly shattered, as Cygnus knelt before the dark god, and had sworn his soul to him, in exchange for time, for the chance to be with who he had loved most in all the world.

Darkness had fallen for a while, the soul didn't know how long. It had been cold, ice had covered him. He had slept, unable to do more but dream of that fight, that betrayal, and wonder how it could have gone so wrong.

They had killed the Judges, when even the Gold Saints had fallen. They had broken every defense, killed every specter. Athena had gone before them, and had been taken from them. Shun had been possessed before that, and Seiya had been beaten, but as always, he had risen, to come with them when they had found him, to face Hades once more.

They had taken down gods before, even when Athena was held prisoner.

But this time...

He had no answers for it.

Only remembered that in that darkness, a golden light had come, broken through, and bathed him in power unimaginable. It had been so sweet, and so painful. It was the power of Athena, and yet, far more mortal, the very life of those that had come before, the Golds who had fallen to get them there.

He had become aware again, alive to some extent, powered by their own cosmos, their light. Twelve had channeled into one, and he had broken from his coffin in the ice wastes.

Athena was calling, and though her divine could not come, one of her most loyal would, with those twelves' blessings.

It would not last him long, he knew. Such power was eating the very flesh he moved, the flesh that had once been his, was still his, but it felt detached, more like armor and less like himself.

Hades no longer had guards, not in the true sense.

He had Pandora, if the spirit could remember right. But as he entered those forbidden doors, and walked through the shattered remains of the main throne room where they had fought, he didn't see her, or sense her. She was likely with her Lord.

He passed his place of death, glanced once at the black blood staining the stone, and felt nothing.

There were other things to attend to.

He moved on, through another, smaller set of doors. Further into the dark, though he could see perfectly. Everything was bathed in gold light, the power that shone from himself.

Hades surely knew he was there, just like the dark god had always known everything. Yet, nothing hindered his way, nothing could. He was sure he had seen a specter or two in the shadows where the light didn't reach, but they didn't move to stop him.

So Hades had resurrected some of his servants.

Again, not a matter of the soul's concern. Only his destination was.

They would save her, they had to.

Eventually, he found the doors that led to his goal. They shattered to dust with a touch, leaving the corridor open. On he went, down the tunnel, feeling Hades's power thick in the area, containing, restraining.

And finally the one he had sought.

It took a moment, for those blue eyes, weak, fire nearly gone in them, to look at him. It took a bit more before that flame brightened enough into awareness for one word to breath through.

"Shiryu..."

He felt a faint smile touch his lips. That had been his name, hadn't it? He had been Shiryu before his death, the Dragon Saint.

And he was again, reminded of more then just what he needed to do.

"It's time, Ikki, we have unfinished business to attend to."


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks to Lilithakaducky for your comments, thanks to all of you that are reading.

_Italics_ are speaking between cosmos.

* * *

He was free.

Hades could feel that power that had seeped into his temple, that embodiment of light that was now long gone from the world above. Athena's power, and yet not. Her gold warriors, yet not.

The soul within knew who it was, the name. He only acknowledged him as the Dragon Saint. He had thought he had crushed his heart.

Obviously death wasn't enough to chain such a soul. This time, he would make sure to completely dissolve it.

"My Lord," he wasn't surprised they had come. Of course they would have sensed it.

He had underestimated the Saints, he would have to fix this, "I know. Phoenix has been released, the Dragon Saint is on the move, even though he is dead. Likely they'll be heading for the wall to retrieve Athena and Pegasus. I want you both to make sure they do not reach them."

"And leave you unguarded, My Lord?" Thanatos questioned, as if disliking the idea.

"I have Pandora, and I have Cygnus. And even without, I have myself," he had defeated them once, he'd do it again.

"Cygnus may yet break from you now that his companions are free..." Hypnos said cautiously.

"He won't. There's very little left of Cygnus inside himself," he nodded to the still, empty eyed form standing guard nearby. The former Saint of Athena hadn't even shown the least bit sign of sensing his comrades.

"Andromeda then..." Hypnos mused.

"Is dying," or so could be seen from his black hair, "Leave, do as I bid you. They must not reach Athena."

"They will not, my Lord," Thanatos assured him, before both of them bowed, and disappeared to do their task.

He had faith they wouldn't fail. But this had taught him that he could not leave anything to chance...

"Cygnus," the call brought those dead blue eyes to him, and inwardly, something in him was crying.

He stifled Andromeda, choking the life from that other soul bit by bit, even as he addressed the shell of the lover left behind. Cygnus knelt before him, head bowed, purely the servant.

"Yes, my Lord?" even that tone was lifeless.

"I need you to intercept Phoenix and Dragon before they reach the gate. Kill them if you can. Should they reach the gate, assist Thanatos and Hypnos in destroying them," with any luck, it would take them all out, he wouldn't have to kill Cygnus himself.

The Ice Saint nodded, bowing his head again before he stood, "As you wish, my Lord," he swiftly turned on his heel, going to do as told.

* * *

_'Ikki_.'

It was so soft, whispering through the pain of moving, the strain of living. The chains had left their marks, upon his wrists, in his soul, leaving him weak, as he strove to keep up with the glowing form of a friend both dead and alive.

Yet, he had thought...

_'Ikki? Brother, listen?_' there it was again, the faintest breath past his ear.

That made him stop, so suddenly that Shiryu noticed, and turned to look at him with those gold tinged eyes. Phoenix shook his head, motioning that he didn't know, when he felt something brush his shoulders, as if delicate hands were touching them.

_'Hyoga is coming_,' was the urgent warning.

"Shun," Ikki found he couldn't breath, couldn't move for a moment, knowing this was his brother, the same that he had almost believed lost to Hades.

"Ikki, duck!" Shiryu's warning came almost a moment too late, as instincts came into play, and Ikki did as told.

The shot of pure frozen cosmos was so close he could feel it brush over his bare back, burning the skin with how cold it was. The wall further up formed ice, thick enough to trap him if he had been the one caught in it.

Swiftly getting to his feet, he turned, to glare into the shadows, trying to pick up a hint of gold, something to let him know where the other was.

_'To the right_,' that whisper again, just before another shot came from that direction.

Again, Ikki barely had time to move, before an answering blow came, from behind him.

Shiryu's shot flared, bright, almost blinding as it struck at the shadows. There was a grunt of pain, as it hit, too fast to be avoided. In that short moment of light, their attacker was revealed. Blue eyes, dull and almost gray, stared at them as the blow struck, the blackened armor of Cygnus seeming to absorb even what the shadows could not.

The former Athena Saint hit the wall behind him, cracking it with how hard he had. Ikki prepared himself as seemingly unfazed, Hyoga rose once more.

"There's barely anything left of him..." Shiryu commented, unattached and unemotional, where there should have been shock, perhaps horror, but nothing.

Ikki was painfully reminded of how things had changed, how close to the ending things were. But he could feel what the Dragon Saint had. Most of the cosmos still powering the Cygnus Saint was dark, charged with the soul that had stolen his brother from him, had trapped him for so long.

If anything, it seemed they were only fighting an extension of Hades, and nothing else.

Another blast of ice, as silent as the rest had been, and the Phoenix Saint returned it, his cosmos powering the fierce fire in him, channeling it into flame that met and blocked the frozen death aiming for him.

'_Ikki_,' again, he could only vaguely hear that call, and would have been weary of it, if he didn't know his brother.

This was Shun. Hades couldn't imitate such pure love as that.

'_Shun_,' he reached for him, for that soul he hadn't felt in so long.

He couldn't imagine how he had managed to do it, to reach past the god, just to him. He had truly thought that Shun's last fight had been when he had urged him to kill him.

Which he had failed...

_'Brother, it's alright. I still have a chance to end this... I had to wait, gather strength, for this,_' Shun soothed, _'I am glad you weren't the one that had to finish this...'_

Ikki's throat tightened, as he felt that warm cosmos wrap about his. Yet he focused, blocking the attacks coming to him, knowing that any that hit his unprotected body would likely kill him. There had been no way to retrieve the long destroyed Phoenix Cloth, at least not yet.

Shiryu's blows shattered through their stalemate again, ground breaking as they again slammed into Hyoga, who this time blocked it, with one hand, while the other continued the battle between fire and ice.

Ikki's arms were beginning to ache, as he felt the Ice Saint's cosmos rise in power, fueling his attack to greater heights. Phoenix fought to match it, every step of the way, though it felt like fighting Hades himself again, and his weakened self couldn't take the strain.

_'We need to finish this quickly...'_ Shun insisted, _'You need your strength for the battle ahead, as does Shiryu. Brother...'_ that ghostly voice was silent for a moment, and Ikki couldn't help but fear that Hades had found out.

_'Break Hyoga's mind,_' that suggestion eased his fear that his brother had been taken again, but at the same time...

"What?" he couldn't help but voice it out loud.

Shun was asking him to...

_'Hades put a seal on it. One that I cannot break. His soul is dying and we don't have much time left...I don't,_' indeed, he did feel weaker, the soft touches were long gone, showing how he was trying to conserve what little he had left, 'Use your Demon Fist...'

_'It could kill him,_' though Shun knew that. He'd seen it at work so many times...

_'I know,_' there was pain there, brief, but deep enough to be soul rending, 'I hope it does.'

That simple phrase nearly halted him, if he hadn't been fighting for his life. He could hear Shiryu powering up for another attack, likely one far stronger then he'd thrown previously.

_'Do it. Please,_' that tone was begging, perhaps crying.

Kill his brother's love... Kill his brother in arms...

Shiryu's dragon blow flared, and broke through Cygnus's defense, stopping his ice attack as it once more threw him into the wall, burying him for a moment.

_'Now, Ikki!_' the cry prompted him before he had to think, fist raising, that power surging through his veins. He unleashed it before he had time to breath.

It struck just as Hyoga started to right himself, standing unsteadily just as it pierced his mind. Those eyes widened in some form of shock, before without a sound, he collapsed backwards, hitting the rock and sliding to the floor, much like a puppet with its strings cut.


End file.
